AfL Role Model, Karen Ung, believes everyone can have fun being active outdoors

Karen Ung is the founder of the blog Play Outside Guide, the mission of which is to provide “everything families need to know to get outside and have fun”. Her amazing adventures in the mountains with her two daughters are so much fun to follow. Karen provides a valuable resource and is an example of how to raise kids to love being active and to embrace all that nature has to offer.

Get to know Karen better and help us welcome her to the #AfLfamily.

Q&A with Karen Ung

AfL: What is your biggest fear?

Karen Ung: That my children will suddenly hate hiking and camping in their teen years.

AfL: What is your proudest moment?

Karen Ung: I have a few … when my kids learned to ride bikes and when my oldest rocked the half pipe and blue runs (at 5 years-old) on the ski hill!

AfL: What motivates you?

Karen Ung: I am motivated to stay active year round so I can do all the outdoor activities I enjoy. Staying fit in summer means a better cross country ski season. Skiing and snowshoeing keep me fit for summer hiking, biking, and backpacking. I feel better when I’m active too, so it’s a win-win.

AfL: What is your favourite season?

Karen Ung: Summer AND winter. Summer for the beautiful hiking, camping, and backpacking weather (and wildflowers!); winter for all the snow fun. With six months of winter, we have to embrace it!

AfL: What is your favourite physical activity?

Karen Ung: Three-way tie between hiking, biking, and skiing.

AfL: Some other little-known fact about you that you’d like to share?

Karen Ung: I have a Geography degree and love maps.

AfL: Please tell us in a few words why you’re excited to be an AfL Role Model?

Karen Ung: I want to share my love of being active outdoors. It doesn’t take skill — really! — just some planning and the right clothes.

Sara Smeaton is the associate managing editor of Active for Life. Her articles have been featured online, and in print, in the Globe and Mail Health Advisor section, on SavvyMom, and several other online magazines. She comes from an advertising background where she produced hundreds of web projects for some of North America's biggest brands. Sara lives in Toronto with her husband and two creative children who have never met a tree they didn't want to climb. Follow Sara on Twitter, @SaraSmeaton.

Active For Life

Active for Life is the place where parents go to learn about activities for kids. Physical education leads to physical literacy, which is critical for child development. Physical literacy also gives active kids the best chance to someday compete in high-performance sport. Kids activities are organized here by age and gender, so parents can find fun and engaging ways of making sure their children get the recommended daily amount of physical activity. Activities for toddlers are aimed at the development of fundamental movement skills, while activities for children build on the fundamentals to establish more complex sport skills that can be used to play any number of sports and activities. Exercises for kids enhance their physical development. In the early stages of child growth, early childhood development is dependent on appropriate exercises for children. Because kids play is good for kids health.